Bacalhau à Brás

Prep time: 20 minutes (plus 24 hrs desalting)

Cook time: 20 minutes

Total time: 24 hours 40 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Country of Origin: Portugal

Description

A iconic Portuguese comfort dish made from shredded salted cod, finely matchstick-cut fried potatoes, and scrambled eggs, garnished with black olives.

Presentation & How It's Eaten

Served hot in a platter, sprinkled with fresh chopped parsley and whole black olives.

Ingredients

• 1 lb salt cod (bacalhau), soaked and desalted for 24 hours

• 1 lb potatoes, peeled and cut into paper-thin matchsticks (palha)

• 6 large eggs, beaten

• 2 large yellow onions, sliced into thin half-moons

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 cup black Portuguese olives

• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

• Black pepper, to taste

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Prep Fish: Poach soaked salt cod in boiling water for 5 minutes. Cool, skin, debone, and shred into fine flakes.

2. Fry Potatoes: Deep-fry or pan-fry matchstick potato strips until crisp and pale golden; drain on paper towels.

3. Sauté Aromatics & Fish: Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add sliced onions and garlic, cooking low for 10 minutes until soft. Stir in shredded cod and cook 3 minutes.

4. Fold Potatoes & Eggs: Add crispy potato matchsticks into skillet. Turn heat to low, pour in beaten eggs, and cook gently while tossing until eggs are creamy and barely set.

5. Garnish & Serve: Season with pepper, fold in parsley, and top with black olives.

Optional

• Store-bought Straws: Use store-bought potato straw chips to save prep time.

Cooking Tips

• Creamy Eggs: Take pan off heat while eggs are still soft and moist; residual heat finishes cooking them without drying.

Nutrition Facts

(Estimated per serving, based on 4 servings)

• Calories: ~480 kcal

• Total Fat: 26g

• Saturated Fat: 5g

• Cholesterol: 310mg

• Sodium: 820mg

• Total Carbohydrates: 32g

• Dietary Fiber: 3g

• Sugars: 3g

• Protein: 31g